Baby’s body found at False Bay beach

CAPE TOWN - Local fishermen were left in shock after pulling the body of a newborn baby out of the water at Mnandi Beach at the weekend.

This as three people died when holidaymakers flocked to beaches and swimming pools for a reprieve from the heat on Saturday.

SAPS spokesperson Wesley Twigg said that Mitchell’s Plain police were investigating the discovery of the baby’s body on Saturday night.

“Mitchell’s Plain police opened an inquest case docket for investigation after the body of a new-born baby was pulled out of the water by fishermen at Mnandi Beach at about 8pm.

“A post mortem will be conducted to determine the cause of death,” Twigg said.

No arrests have been made.

City Law Enforcement spokesperson Wayne Dyason confirmed that anglers had informed officers about the newborn baby found dead at the beach about 200m from the parking area.

Also on the False Bay coast on Saturday, lifeguards were alerted by eye-witnesses to the lifeless body of a 37-year-old Mfuleni man who had washed onto the far east section of Monwabisi Beach.

The NSRI said City lifeguards, Cape Town Traffic Services and Law Enforcement officers responded while alerting the City water rescue network.

CPR efforts were commenced but the man was declared dead.

Just after 2pm at Glencairn Beach, NSRI Simon's Town duty crew and the City water rescue network were activated following eye-witness reports of a drowning in progress.

NSRI Simon’s Town station commander Darren Zimmerman said a trainee crew member who lives across the road from the beach and was at the beach at the time, launched into the water with an NSRI pink rescue buoy after being alerted by bystanders pointing towards a man being swept out to sea in rip currents.

“The NSRI member reached the man in the surf zone, finding him lifeless in the water.

“Using the rescue buoy to aid floatation the current swept them further out to sea where they were both rescued onto the sea rescue craft,” Zimmerman said.

Rescuers conducted CPR on the man, aged 46, from Ocean View.

“The patient was brought to False Bay Yacht Club where CMR paramedics continued with extensive CPR efforts. After all efforts to resuscitate the man were exhausted, he was declared deceased,” Zimmerman said.

On Saturday morning, the body of a 60-year-old man was found floating in his apartment block swimming pool in Strand.

“An NSRI Gordons Bay coxswain who lives in a block of apartments in Strand was alerted by the caretaker who had noticed the lifeless body of a man floating in the apartment block swimming pool.”

The NSRI member rescued the man from the swimming pool and initiated CPR. The man was declared dead.

“While it is suspected that the man may have suffered a medical condition while swimming in the pool, police have opened an inquest docket for investigation,” the NSRI said.

Anyone with information on the newborn baby can anonymously contact Crime Stop on 0860010111, or SMS Crime Line on 32211.

Cape Times